Concerned citizens across the globe fear that democratic institutions are failing them. Citizens feel shut out of politics and worry that politicians are no longer responsive to their interests. In Hope for Democracy, John Gastil and Katherine R. Knobloch introduce new tools for tamping down hyper-partisanship and placing citizens at the heart of the democratic process. They showcase the Citizens' Initiative Review, which convenes a demographically-balanced random sample of citizens to study statewide ballot measures. Citizen panelists interrogate advocates, opponents, and experts, then write an analysis that distills their findings for voters. Gastil and Knobloch reveal how this process has helped voters better understand the policy issues placed on their ballots. Placed in the larger context of deliberative democratic reforms, Hope for Democracy shows how citizens and public officials can work together to bring more rationality and empathy into modern politics.

Introduction1. A Political Life Transformed2. Pushing Citizens Aside3. Losing Our Minds4. Progressive Politics in the Pacific Northwest5. A Crucial Test6. The Best Argument Wins7. Bureaucracy and Boycott8. Back in the Wind Tunnel9. Can Voters Deliberate?10. Restoring Public FaithConclusion: What's Possible?